What is brand marketing? Tips to grow your business

Your brand does more than pump life into every customer interaction, every product, and every message you send. It’s more than a logo splashed on a product or a tagline that rolls off the tongue. Your brand is what first draws people in and then keeps them coming back, turning them into advocates for your business.

Building a brand isn’t as simple as creating a memorable design and hoping it sticks in your customers' minds. To really connect with your audience, you need brand marketing strategies that tell your story in their language. 

In this blog, we explore what brand marketing is and why it’s crucial for growth. We will also provide actionable tips to help you develop a strong brand identity, and share how Gelato can help you create high-quality, branded products that resonate with your audience and enhance your brand's image to elevate your business to the next level.

Main takeaways from this article:

• A solid brand marketing strategy differentiates your business, builds loyalty, and attracts customers.

• Branding is about identity, while marketing focuses on promoting that identity.

• Recognize and avoid common pitfalls like chasing trends and ignoring competition.

• Use Gelato to craft high-quality branded products and expand your business reach globally.

Branding is the process of creating a unique identity for your business through visual elements, messaging, and experiences. It encompasses your logo, color scheme, tagline, and overall personality. Effective branding establishes recognition and trust, sets you apart from competitors, and connects you emotionally with your audience. It's the foundation of your business's public perception.

While branding and marketing often overlap, understanding their differences can help to create more effective strategies for the success of your business. Let's break down these distinctions: 

• Branding defines who you are: Branding is about crafting your business identity using a logo, voice, values (your brand guidelines), and the overall perception people have of your company. 

• Marketing promotes what you offer: While branding sets the foundation, marketing is focused on tactics and strategies to promote your products or services to your target audience.

• Branding builds loyalty and trust: Effective branding creates an emotional connection with local and global audiences, building loyalty and long-term relationships.

• Marketing drives immediate action: Marketing initiatives are designed to encourage immediate responses, like making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or following your social media channels.

With the differences noted, let's examine why a strong brand strategy is crucial for your business's success.

It sets your business apart

In a crowded market, having a distinctive brand can be your strongest asset. It tells your unique story and highlights what makes your business special. A well-crafted brand identity creates an emotional connection, making it easier for people to remember and choose your products over competitors. 

By focusing on your brand's unique elements, you’ll differentiate yourself in a way that attracts loyal customers.

It drives value and brand loyalty

Building a strong brand drives value by creating a dependable and memorable identity for your business. Customers who identify with your brand are more likely to return for repeat purchases and advocate for your products or services. 

Brand loyalty, created through consistent quality and customer engagement, is invaluable. It leads to higher customer retention rates and positive word-of-mouth referrals.

It draws people in

A strong brand marketing strategy captivates potential customers and keeps existing ones returning for more. It’s not just about first impressions; it’s about creating memorable experiences that resonate. 

By consistently communicating your brand’s values, personality, and story, you draw people in and create a sense of connection. Visually appealing and high-quality branded merchandise can be a good way to draw customers' attention.

Let's now explore the seven practical tips to build a brand that resonates with your audience.

1. Develop a clear brand identity

Brand identity is basically the personality of a business. It’s how people perceive a certain brand. Here's how to create a memorable identity for your brand: 

• Define your brand values: Identify the core principles that your business stands for. These values should guide every aspect of your brand and resonate with your target audience.

• Create a unique logo and tagline: A memorable logo and catchy tagline are crucial for visual and verbal brand recognition. Ensure they reflect your brand’s persona and message.

• Develop a consistent brand voice: Whether it's playful, professional, or empathetic, your brand voice should be consistent across all communication channels to build trust with your audience.

• Design a cohesive visual style: Use a consistent color palette, typography, and imagery that aligns with your brand’s identity and looks appealing across various platforms.

2. Research your target market

Conduct thorough research to gather insights into your target market. This is an important step to ensure that your brand resonates with the people who matter most to your business.

• Determine demographics: Focus on age, gender, income level, and education. These factors will help you create a more tailored approach as you define your audience.

• Analyze psychographics: Understand your audience’s interests, values, and lifestyle. This deeper level of insight can make your brand messaging more relatable and effective.

• Use buyer personas: Create detailed profiles of your ideal customers. These personas will be a reference point for all your marketing efforts, ensuring consistency and relevance.

• Conduct market surveys: Use surveys to gather direct feedback from current and potential customers. This can provide valuable insights into their preferences and pain points.

3. Create compelling marketing messaging

Your messaging should resonate with your target market, highlight your unique selling points, and create an emotional connection. To craft messaging that stands out, consider the following tips: 

• Focus on benefits, not features: Instead of listing features, emphasize how your product or service solves problems and adds value to your customers' lives.

• Be clear and concise: Avoid jargon and overly complex language. Your message should be easily understandable and straight to the point.

• Tell a story: Weave a narrative that showcases your brand's mission, values, and impact. Stories can make your brand more relatable and memorable.

• Use strong CTAs: Guide your audience on what to do next, whether it's making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or following you on social media. Make your CTAs clear and compelling.

4. Offer high-quality, branded merchandise

Offering branded merch helps promote your brand and provides your customers with tangible items to build a deeper connection with it. Here are ways in which you can execute this step:

• Identify merchandise that resonates with your audience: Choose items that align with your brand and appeal to your target customers, such as clothing, accessories, or practical everyday products.

• Ensure high-quality production: Partner with reliable print on demand companies like Gelato to produce durable merchandise that reflects your brand’s standards. Quality products create positive brand associations.

• Incorporate branding elements: Use your logo, colors, and messaging to create merchandise that clearly represents your brand, reinforcing recognition and loyalty.

• Give merchandise as free handouts: Offer branded items as a part of loyalty programs, giveaways, or promotional events to boost engagement and brand visibility.

5. Leverage social media

With billions of users across various platforms, leveraging the power of social media can dramatically boost your brand's visibility and credibility. Here are some practical tips for your social media efforts: 

• Choose the right platforms: To make the most notable impact, focus on 1-2 platforms where your customers are most active, such as Instagram or TikTok.

• Develop a content strategy: Plan your posts in advance to ensure a consistent and engaging narrative that represents your brand's identity.

• Engage with your audience: When you respond to comments, messages, and mentions, you are building strong relationships and creating a sense of community. This is especially important when you are starting out.

• Utilize user-generated content: Share content created by your customers to build trust and showcase authentic brand experiences.

6. Use storytelling to share your brand's identity

By weaving your brand’s story into your marketing strategy, you can create a deeper emotional connection with your customers. Here's how to encourage customers to remain loyal and engage with your brand:

• Humanize your brand: Share stories about your team, your origins, and the challenges you have overcome. This makes your brand more relatable and trustworthy.

• Highlight customer success stories: Use case studies and testimonials to highlight how your product or service has made a positive impact. Real-life examples can help potential customers see the value you offer.

• Emphasize your mission: Communicate your brand’s mission and how it drives everything you do. This can attract customers who share your values and seek brands that align with their beliefs.

• Create engaging content: Tell your story using various formats, such as videos, blogs, and social media posts. Engaging and diverse content can capture the interest of different audience segments.

7. Collaborate with influencers or partners

Influencers have a direct line to your target audience and can present your brand in an authentic and relatable way. Similarly, partnering with other businesses can help you tap into their customer base. Here’s how you can make the most out of these collaborations: 

• Connect with influencers in your niche: Work with influencers who align with your brand values and appeal to your target market. They can create content that resonates with their followers, driving engagement and brand awareness.

• Reach out directly or through agencies: You can contact influencers directly or collaborate with influencer marketing agencies to find the best fit for your campaigns. 

• Partner with complementary businesses: Establish partnerships with businesses that offer complementary products or services. This can open up opportunities for co-branded promotions, events, and shared audiences.

• Focus on micro-influencers: Micro-influencers (those with 10k-100k followers) often have higher engagement rates than their larger counterparts, providing more value for your marketing investment.

Need some real-life inspiration? Let's take a look at a few standout brand marketing campaigns that have been major hits. 

Bud Light's "Dilly Dilly" campaign

Launched in 2017, the campaign quickly gained traction with its humorous and medieval-themed commercials. The phrase "Dilly Dilly" became a cultural catchphrase, creating a strong connection with consumers. This campaign showcases how combining humor with a unique brand personality can increase brand recall and loyalty, making Bud Light a standout in the competitive beer market.

Old Spice's "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign

This campaign became iconic for its humorous and memorable approach to advertising. Old Spice reinvented its brand image with a series of witty commercials featuring actor Isaiah Mustafa. The ads showcased a confident, charismatic man, appealing directly to both men and women. The clever use of humor and distinctive style helped Old Spice stand out in a crowded market. 

Coca-Cola's "Share a Coke" campaign

One of the most iconic campaigns, Coca-Cola's "Share a Coke," personalized bottles with names to create a bond with consumers. This simple yet ingenious idea turned customers into brand ambassadors as they shared their personalized bottles on social media. The campaign boosted sales and created a sense of community and belonging.

Even the best brands can stumble if they fall into common pitfalls. Here are some practices you should steer clear of to keep your brand marketing efforts on track.

Chasing trends

While staying current is important, chasing every new trend can diminish your brand's consistency and identity. Instead, focus on understanding which trends align with your brand values and resonate with your target audience. Conducting market experiments can help you stay ahead without getting lost in the noise. Always evaluate whether a trend complements your long-term goals. Capitalize on relevant trends, but don't lose sight of what makes your brand unique and trustworthy.

Ignore the competition

Understanding your competition is essential for refining your brand marketing strategy. Ignoring what competitors are doing can leave you vulnerable to missed opportunities or threats. Instead of mimicking them, focus on learning from their successes and failures. Apply these insights uniquely to your brand. Even small businesses can find niches and build loyal customer bases by emphasizing their unique value propositions.

Inconsistency with creatives

Consistency in your branding is crucial. Inconsistent creatives can confuse your audience and diminish your brand's professionalism. Ensure your visuals, tone, and messaging align across all platforms. This doesn't mean being inflexible but rather maintaining a cohesive brand persona. Stay vigilant and use a brand style guide to help keep your creative elements aligned. Every post, advertisement, or product should resonate with your core brand values and aesthetics to build a reliable brand identity.

Establishing a clear brand identity, understanding your target market, and using powerful storytelling can all make a world of difference to your brand marketing.

However, high-quality branded merchandise is key to truly bringing your brand to life and reaching a global audience. This is where Gelato can help.

Gelato offers a print on demand solution that enables businesses to create custom products without needing to manage inventory. With local production in over 34 countries, you can offer faster delivery and reduce your carbon footprint. Whether you want to design apparel, accessories, or home décor, Gelato provides the tools and platform to bring your vision to life. 

Ready to elevate your business with stunning, high-quality branded merch? Sign up for Gelato and choose a subscription plan today!